Dare for Love
by Pretenders
Summary: Schroeder's promised kiss to Lucy has not been forgotten. Based off a canon baseball moment within the comics.


**_Thank-you for noticing this story._**

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**Dare for Love**

He hid his rashes on his cheeks well. They managed to make their way onto his face when he was burned by Lucy's grip on his hand. He planned to spend the day in front of his piano, creating a new melody, or perfecting one of Beethoven's symphonies. Much to his regret, he attended school and never got the chance to head home when it ended. On his way out of class, she demanded he spend the day with her at the baseball pit. There was nothing special she could do, besides prove herself better than Charlie Brown.

They were the only ones there. This made Schroeder fear any sudden movement from Lucy.

She pulled him harder, as he came closer to her, "You walk so slow! You've been sitting in front of that piano for too long!"

He pulled his hand back.

"You're spending the day with your future wife," she looked back at him as she continued walking forward, "and I don't care what you say. Husbands! Who do they think they are?"

He made no hint that he would respond. Following her was dangerous, and also out of place for him. He submitted to her abuses today since he still felt guilty for removing the piano beneath her too sudden, last week. She was left with small bruises on her elbows and they hurt her fragile body that she could not do anything. He knew she was overreacting to the incident, but that hadn't stopped him from feeling bad.

Her black hair curled behind her with more definition, and her blue dress was replaced by a floral dress. She wore the same shoes; he wore the same clothes. Her demands for him to dress formally were ignored, and he figured that's what made her upset. Then again, she was always demanding.

When they reached the baseball pit, they sat on the bench next to the fence. She took out a baseball from her pocket and stared down at it before she pressed it toward his direction, "Teach me."

He pushed the baseball away from his face.

She huffed, throwing the baseball in front of her. It landed only a few feet away. Her next mumble made Schroeder swallow hard, "I want to hit a four bagger, again." She had not looked to him when she said this, and he wondered if she really wanted to. He played with his fingers, thinking of a way to leave this awkward moment.

"I've only hit a home run once," she finally turned to look at him, "and I got your attention when I did."

He was now pinching his fingers, avoiding cracking his knuckles.

"When you said you'd kiss me, I truly believed it," her chin landed on her palm, as she slumped forward on the bench. Her elbow dug into her thigh, and her short legs hung over the seat. "I did not want to go forward on your word...but, did you even mean it?"

He decided to save himself. He got up and walked to the thrown baseball, picking it up and gesturing her to walk out to the field. There had been bats left from the game earlier that week, so she was more than ready to practice. He threw her one ball, and she swung horribly. The second try, he had to drop to the ground quickly for she had thrown the baseball bat toward him from her weak grip on it. She apologized, telling him to be more careful with his pitches. He brushed off the dirt from his shirt and continued to wait for her to at least hit one ball.

She hit one ball, but she never swung her bat. She kept it in the air as she gripped it and forgot to swing when he pitched, and the baseball hit the bat and fell to the ground. He sighed from impatience; he got tired of throwing, retrieving, being yelled at, and throwing, again. After the twentieth pitch, he threw the ball with full force toward her and if she would not hit this ball, he was heading home.

"I hit it!"

He followed the ball as it went above his head and passed out field. She dropped the bat to dance a victory dance. He stared at the ball that was far behind him, thinking about what to do. He wanted to go home, but he never made promises that often.

"Did you see–" her eyes widened as he grabbed her hands and pulled her close.

He broke away, hands in his pocket, and headed toward his home, "Yeah, I saw."

She blinked twice, before running after him, "Will you do that if I hit another one, again?" She stopped as she forgot she left her ball out in the field, "Don't leave without me!"

He sighed heavily as he waited for her to retrieve her ball.

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**_(Thank-you! This story is inspired by, "We Belong" by Pat Benetar._**

**_Have a nice day!)_**


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